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Barney Frank supports protests, raises Wall St. cash

Barney Frank said he supports the protest movement 'to the extent that they obey the law.' |
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Frank’s situation is emblematic of the struggle President Barack Obama and other Democratic politicians are facing as they try to support and capitalize on the anti-banking industry fervor, without losing out on campaign checks from the well-heeled industry.

Former Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), both major recipients of Wall Street money, said that industry campaign contributions don’t translate into political support.

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“It’s how you vote, it’s what you vote for that matters … But in my judgment, it’s what you fight for and how you vote, it always has been,” Kerry said.

That position hasn’t earned Democrats many industry fans.

Wall Street executives and financial services lobbyists have complained about Democrats’ recent support of the protesters. A recent Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee email blast endorsing the movement particularly rubbed the industry the wrong way. But the DCCC said it’s gotten an outstanding grass-roots response and doesn’t regret its support for the protests.

One financial services lobbyist described Democratic fundraising on Wall Street while backing the protests as “hypocritical at best. Look at the major donors to Obama, look at the major donors to the DCCC.”

“When you demonize people, it makes them feel like they’re not appreciated, and they’re less willing to take out their checkbook and voluntarily write a check for your cause,” the lobbyist added.

Frank is not the only Democrat who has gone to the Big Apple to raise campaign cash in recent weeks. Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray of Washington held an event there with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada last month. Sen. Jon Tester, along with Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, both of Montana, also recently headed to New York City to a fundraiser for Tester and the Montana Democratic Party.

And remember this is one of the relatively less moronic members of their caucus--just think of how fast the dimmer Democrats of Imperial D.C. will be digging their graves over the next 11 months as the ship springs more leaks. Get used to being in the House minority, you unintelligible gimp.

I'll tell you Barney boy how it puts you in conflict, it gives them special access to you as a start. The fact that you sit and talk with them during the fund raiser is special access. You sir are a hypocrite.